James S.W. Drewry is the Great-Great Grandson of the 10th U.S. President, John Tyler. Drewry graduated from Randolph-Macon College with a B.A., Political Science with honors in 1966. He graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in Charlottesville, VA with a J.D. in 1969. Drewry continued his educational studies by graduating from the London School of Economics and Political Science, London, England, UK with a LL.M. in 1975.
Drewry enjoyed an illustrious career spanning over forty-years. From 1969-1974, he was a Lieutenant, Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps practicing military law, especially prosecution and defense counsel at trials by court-martial in Florida, Vietnam, and Japan. From 1975-1980, Drewry was the Senior Attorney at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce where he practiced governmental law, including natural resources legislation and regulation and international agreements on natural resources matters. From 1980-1999, he was the Democratic General Counsel and held other senior staff positions on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, addressing legislation on telecommunications, science and technology, transportation, consumer affairs, and oceanic and atmospheric issues.
Rounding out his career, Drewry was Partner/Principal with Blank Rome LLP/Governmental Relations in Washington, D.C. from 1999-2009. He conducted law and lobbying activities related to matters involving maritime transportation, national defense, Native Americans, and natural resources.
